15 meeting of rspo biodiversity and hcv working group ... bhcv 21112011.pdf · 3) bhcv proposal for...

RSPO Secretariat Sdn Bhd Company No.: 787510-K

Unit A-33A-2, Level 33A, Tower A Menara UOA Bangsar, No.5 Jln Bangsar Utama 1 59000 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Telephone : +603-2302 1500/ Fax : +603 2201 4053 Email : [email protected]

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15th Meeting of RSPO Biodiversity and HCV Working Group (BHCV WG)

Date November 21, 2011 (Monday)

Venue Meeting room#7, Sutera Magellan, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Attendance Sophie Persey (SP) ZSL Co-Chair

Laura Darcy ZSL Member (alternate)

Simon Siburat (SS) MPOA Member

Calley Beamish (CB) MPOA Member (alternate)

Oliver Tichit (OT) Sipef Group Member

Anders Lindhe (AL) WWF-International Member

Dwi R. Muhtaman (DM) Aksenta Member

Reza Azmi (RA) Wild Asia Member

Marcus Colchester (MC) Forest Peoples Programme Member

Catherine Cassagne (CC) IFC Member

Norazam Abdul Hameed (NH)

Sime Darby Invited

Stan Rodger (SR) LPF-Shemsi Sdn Bhd Observer

Mohamed Pirabaharan (MP)

PT. Minamas, Sime Darby Observer

Ibrahim Abdul Majid (IM) PT. Minamas, Sime Darby Observer

BACP presenters:

Lee Gross BACP Invited

Gunung Gea Pan Eco Invited

Graham Usher Pan Eco Invited

Dewis Ruysschaert Pan Eco Invited

Mohammad Tanwier Mahdi

Member of Aceh Province Invited

Anne Rosenbarger WRI Invited

Ariana Alisjahbana WRI Invited

Rauf Prasadjo WRI Invited

Moray Mcleish WRI Invited

Beth Gingold WRI Invited

Darmawan Liswanto FFI Invited

Dr. Stephen Browne FFI-Singapore Invited

Anna Lyons FFI-Singapore Invited

Cahyo Nugroho FFI Invited

Elizabeth Clarke ZSL Invited

Michael Zurst (MZ) ZSL Invited

Asril Darussamin (AD) Technical and Smallholders Manager Secretariat

Audrey Lee Mei Fong (ALMF)

RSPO Biodiversity and Conservation Manager

Secretariat

Absence Henry S. Barlow Sime Darby Chair




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with Apology

Adam Harrison (AH) WWF Executive Board (EB) member

Tim Killeen Conservation International Member

Gan Lian Tong PT Musim Mas Member

Absence Devan Subramaniam (DS) WWF-MY Member

Irwan Gunawan WWF-ID Invited

Purwo Susanto ISPO Consulting Member

Agenda Schedule Agenda Person In-

charge Requested

Actions/ Decision

1030-1100 Morning tea break

NA

1100 – 1230

Welcoming remarks from the chairperson

SP

Introduction of invited members

Main agenda items:-

Review previous minutes (BHCV WG meeting on 4th Oct 2011, Jakarta)

SP NA

Presentation by BACP’s grantees (FFI, PanEco, WRI and ZSL) and discussion

BACP: Lee Gross

1230-1330 Lunch break

1330-1700

BHCV WG Proposal on P&C revision

SP Proposal for criterion review/ issues

Submission of time bound commitment for code of conduct implementation

SP Proposal for new EB instruction on code of conduct

HCV Compensation guideline and position statement

Olivier Tichit

Quality of HCV assessment and consistency of HCV interpretation

Anders Lindhe

Tea break

Sime Darby stage 2 report & update on stage 3

Norazam Hameed

Contract on HCV training modules by HCV RN

ALMF

HCV assessors applications ALMF

Any other business (AOB)

1) Welcoming Remarks, Introduction, Acceptance of Agenda and Minutes Review

Meeting started at 11.00am. SP welcomed all participants and members of BHCV WG. She informed BHCV WG that she will be leaving ZSL; MZ is selected as the new representative for ZSL in BHCV WG. The agenda was accepted and SP reminded all member of BHCV WG that the close discussion will start after the BACP grantees’ presentation.




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SR pointed out that the compensation discussion was not included in the minutes of 14th BHCV WG meeting. OT explained that the discussion was capture in the minutes of 2nd CTF meeting. Minutes of 14th BHCV WG meeting was accepted. Action: ALMF to circulate minutes of 2nd CTF meeting.

2) BACP Grantees’ Presentation

BACP grantees: FFI MC asked about the recommendation to address one of the challenges identified in this project i.e. lack of social commitment. According to FFI, the organization is engaging with the local community, although the government has the 80-20 ruling for plasma smallholders but it is not realizing on the ground. It was proposed that REDD+ could be one of the new finance opportunity for HCV areas. OT informed the group that the only type of license eligible for REDD+ project is the forestry license. DM highlighted on the issue of connecting HCV areas located within different concessions. BACP grantees: Pan Eco CB asked about the project area and it was explained by Pan Eco that the 67ha project site is the model for organic oil palm planting by smallholders. SS questioned on the reason for organic planting on degraded land which is often low in fertility. Pan Eco explained that the degraded land meant to be grassland/ open area which might still fertile and organic cultivation will serve a niche market with higher value for the product. RA asked on the limited HCV area and its function, Pan Eco explained that most of the area in Sumatra contains HCVs. AD added that the real issues concerning smallholders certification are poverty alleviation and HCV conservation. Currently, there is no RSPO certified mill around the project area. SS mentioned that the minimum FFB supply base to establish a 30 tonne mill is about 6,000ha. BACP grantees: ZSL SP requested members of BHCV to comment on the practical handbook for conserving HCV species and habitats in oil palm landscapes. BACP grantees: WRI RA asked on the possibility to publish the mapping tool and RSPO could adopt the tool to share information on HCV assessments. CB added that this web mapping tool can be used by the companies to conduct due diligence and to assess the value of the land for compensation, but she also pointed out that the data accuracy is very important. WRI said the mapping exercise include criteria such as peat land, forest cover, risk on erosion and also the forest carbon analyser since Nov 2005, the data was sourced from Forestry Department and there are different versions of map provided by different agencies. WRI welcomes further discussion on the application of the mapping tool for RSPO monitoring.




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BACP program evaluation” LG presented on the BACP projects monitoring using the standard BACP indicators, outputs, outcomes and impacts. CC stressed that all grantees are requested to complete the project document, and the M&E will assist the organizations to communicate and measure the impacts on the ground.

3) BHCV Proposal for P&C Review

P&C review is expected to kick start by early 2012; BHCV WG will prepare a proposal document to EB on P&C review. SR will provide a template, RA will circulate and collect comments from all members, and the proposal will be presented during the next BHCV WG meeting. Action: RA to collect proposal from members for P&C review

4) Submission of time bound commitment for code of conduct implementation

SP briefed members that a resolution to request all RSPO members comply with the code of conduct and submit the time-bound action plan before RT11 was submitted, she seek all BHCV WG members to support this resolution.

5) HCV Compensation guideline and position statement

OT updated the BHCV WG members on development of the compensation guideline. The purpose of this project is to identify the crucial issues related to HCV compensation. Main findings of the compensation project including 8 principles for HCV compensation and different requirement for conversion conducted after Nov 2005-2007; Nov 2007-Dec 2009 and after Jan 2010. In terms of conversion done by third party, it was accepted during the last meeting that only commercial conversion (despite any kind of agriculture crop) is required for compensation. Company who take over the land is responsible for HCV compensation despite the initial landuse. MC reminded the group on the practicality of this proposal especially for growers from the rest of the world and the long term monitoring of the HCV compensation. In some cases, smallholders are clearing the land with expectation that the company will buy over the land. AL proposed to the group that a clearer definition on “commercial” conversion is required. MC agreed to AL’s idea and mentioned that there is a need to define the mechanism/ parties who will be responsible to draw the line between commercial and non-commercial conversion. AL agreed that this report is only the first step and we should decide on the role of the CTF.

SP asked whether this CTF’s proposal will change the P&C requirement as we are allowing compensation for HCV area after 2007. OT explained that EB has instructed CTF to look into the possibility of compensation mechanism after 2007 especially for new members who will join in future.

In terms of compensation without historical HCV assessment, CC asked how the company could and identifies the type of HCV lost. OT explained that for growers who volunteer to disclose area




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converted without HHA can choose to compensate for the whole area but the types of compensation will need further elaboration.

6) SDP’s Stage 2 Remediation Plan and stage 3 implementation

NH updated that the stage 2 report was accepted by the secretariat with several amendments

suggested by BHCV WG. New timeline for HCV compensation was proposed and accepted by the

secretariat. Stage 3 implementation is on-going.

RA questioned on the compensation actions and SP asked about the progress of the “golden

triangle” zone which was identified as a proposed compensation site. NH will seek collaboration

from other 2 companies i.e. Wilmar and GAR to implement the compensation actions around

the “golden triangle” zone.

7) Quality of HCV assessment and consistency of HCV interpretation

AL highlighted 3 main challenges i.e. HCV interpretation, guideline on management and

monitoring of the HCVA and capacity of the HCV assessors. Similar situations are encountered

by other certification system such as FSC, RTRS and Bonsucro. AL presented on the different

outcome from the HCV assessment in Kutai Barat by different organization.

RA stated the importance of CB’s role in NPP process and the capacity of the team leader often affects the outcome of the assessment. He proposed RSPO to share the outcome of HCV assessment on a common platform. MC questioned on effectiveness of HCV concept in conserving biodiversity. CC suggested BHCV WG to study the opportunity to protect the HCVAs. CB proposed RSPO to conduct random reality check on the report findings and reports for high risk areas will need to be peer reviewed. AL suggested third party accreditation of HCV assessors by HCV RN to ensure capacity of the HCV assessors. Action: AL, MC, DM, RA, MZ will jointly prepare an action plan for discussion at 16th BHCV WG meeting.

8) Contract on HCV training modules by HCV RN SR mentioned that the ToR do not stress on the expected outcome from HCV RN but only highlights the processes. Besides the classroom lesson and test, BHCV WG proposed to include field training as part of the training module. Action: ALMF to incorporate the comments into the ToR.

9) Application of HCV assessors ALMF updated that there are 53 applications in total and 23 was approved by the secretariat. Updated list was posted on the RSPO’s website. CB will provide contact information to the secretariat for HCV experts based in Africa.




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For experts without experience in HCV assessment are required to demonstrate work with other approve HCV assessors and resubmit their application together with a copy of HCV assessment report.

10) AOB

16th BHCV WG meeting is scheduled on Feb 21st, 2012 coincide with the ICOPE meeting (Feb 22-

24th), Bali

The meeting closed at 5.00 pm. SP Co-Chair




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15 meeting of rspo biodiversity and hcv working group ... bhcv 21112011.pdf · 3) bhcv proposal for...

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